Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Just Plain Weird
From the Taiwan News:
posted by Blicero : 11/11/2003 02:52:00 PM
President Chen rebuts rumor of paying US$1m to meet Neil BushI don't know. Josh Marshall's doing some speculating over at Talking Points Memo.
President Chen Shui-bian along with prominent members of his administration yesterday refuted an accusation made by the opposition People First Party alleging Chen had paid US$1 million to secure a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush's younger brother Neil Bush in New York City.
After Chen's unconfirmed summit with Neil Bush sparked controversies here in Taipei, the president yesterday declared that the government didn't spend one cent to gain access to U.S. politicians. In a counter attack Chen chided the opposition parties for unscrupulously criticizing his trip because he received friendly treatment from the U.S. government.
Shortly after Chinese language media aired uncorroborated reports that President Chen had held a 30-minute summit with Neil Bush during his two day layover in New York City, James Soong, PFP chairman extrapolated from the experience of Kuomintang chairman Lien Chan and claimed the president had secured an audience through the payment of US$1 million.
Before Lien Chan departed for a trip to the U.S. last month, the KMT chief claims a U.S. lobbyist approached him offering to set up a meeting with Neil Bush, on the condition that the KMT paid US$1 million.
Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Parris Chang, who along with Chien accompanied President Chen for his U.S. and Panama trip, confirmed that the president had indeed met Neil Bush, but the summit had nothing to do with Neil Bush's older brother George Bush.
posted by Blicero : 11/11/2003 02:52:00 PM
